Main » House Oversight chair Jason Chaffetz just announced he isn't running for re-election

House Oversight chair Jason Chaffetz just announced he isn't running for re-election

21 April 2017

A former Chaffetz aide on Wednesday told Reuters the congressman may run for Utah governor in 2020, though no firm decision had been made yet. He did not mention those possibilities in announcing his decision to leave the political arena, just five months after his re-election to Congress for a fourth term. According to The Blaze, the Republican said he did not believe one should spend their entire career in politics, and after 1,500 nights away from his family over his time in office, it was time to step away. "I may run again for public office, but not in 2018".

"There were unique circumstances with those two particular races, but, with respect to Utah, I don't see that happening here", he said. Curtis said Wednesday that he hasn't made any decisions but Chaffetz's announcement has "given me pause for thought about my future".

Chaffetz, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, also drew fire from Democrats after saying he would not investigate Trump's business empire, given that he had promised before the presidential election that he would investigate Clinton "for years" if she was elected.

He has used that chairmanship to publicly call out problems with federal agencies. But Chaffetz has been reluctant do so, despite getting an earful from his constituents during a February town hall meeting. Others formed a super PAC initially focused on ousting Chaffetz.

After announcing Thursday that he may not finish his term, Chaffetz told Politico that he is considering private sector jobs, including boards of directors and television contracts. "I've been given more enemas by more people over the last eight years than you can possibly imagine". Most of the ire was about Trump, and Chaffetz said he would not use his post as oversight chairman to go on a "fishing expedition" against the administration. "I am healthy. I am confident I would continue to be re-elected by large margins".

In the wake of the faux pas, Democrat Kathryn Allen, a first time candidate who planned to run against Chaffetz in 2018, raised some $400,000 more than the GOP representative through viral fundraising. He added, "Republicans have a deep bench of talented candidates in Utah who are more than up to this challenge".

Chaffetz led high-profile and persistent investigations into Hillary Clinton before the 2016 presidential election but took a tepid approach to Trump's alleged conflicts of interest and ties to Russian Federation.